Elephant born in Banda Aceh conservation camp

September 24, 2012
by Ally Catterick

Suci and calf. Credit: Mahdi Ismail/FFI

A Sumatran elephant in the Conservation Response Unit (CRU) in Aceh Jaya district, Aceh gave birth to a female calf early Tuesday morning.

The 20-year-old elephant, known as Suci (meaning 'holy' in bahasa) was impregnated by a wild elephant living in the forested area near the conservation camp. Wahdi Azmi, Fauna & Flora International's Field Manager in Aceh, said, "The birth is welcome news for conservationists working to save this species from extinction."

Suci and her new calf. Credit: Mahdi Ismail/FFI

The Sumatran elephant is listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered, having lost almost 70% of its natural habitat in the last 25 years, mainly due to forest conversion for agriculture.

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